Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-03-05
THE FonTY.NINTH CONGRESS.
R ecapitulation of the Law Maxi
ers, Work From 1855 to 1887.

crs, Work From 1855 to 1887.
WASHINGTON, March 8. - Congress,
which ended its existence at noon to-day,
has afforded striking illustrations of the
constant increase in the volume of legis.
lation demanding the attention of Con.
gress. which has been going on for the
last three or four Congresses. More
bills were introduced in both Houses,
more committee reports made, more bills
passed, more became laws and
more were vetoed than ever before.
A number of the bills enacted into
laws were old and familiar claimants
for legislative favors. In this category
belong the Presidential Succession bill,
the Electoral Count bill, the Interstate
Commerce bill, and the bill for the relief
of Fitz-John Porter. The Forty-ninth
Congress commenced its session on the
4th of December, 1885, and was in ses-
sion until the 5:h Of August, when it ad.
iourned until the 9th and continued in
session until its C oie to-day. covering a
total period of ten months and twenty.
six days. Ia this time the Senate was
in session 224 days, and the House 25l
days. There were introduced in the
House during this time ii ,25S
bills, and 263 joint resolutions,
on which ovel 5000 reports were made,
being several thousand more bills and
over one thousand more reports than
were made in the Forty eighth Congress,
which had in its turn beaten the record.
In the Senate there were introduced
1857 bills aud lis joint resolutions, on
which 1866 written reports were made,
being upwards of 500 more bills, and
over 400 more reports than in the record
of the Forty.eighth Congress. The total
number of laws enacted was approx.
mately l43l, of which 1903 originated
in the House end 33S in the Senate. Two
hundred and fifty four OF these became
laws by the expiration of the Constitu.
tional ten.days' limitation. Fifty bills
FILLED to become laws, owing to the ad.
idnrnment of Congress; one of them at
th ) close of the first session. There were
1872 bills vetoed by the President; more
instances of the exercise Of the Presiden.
tial prerogative of thevetO than had oc-
CURED from the foundation Of the gov.
ernmsnt down to the beginning of this
Congress. OF the vetoed bills, ninety.
four originated in the House and thirty
eight in the Senate. OF private bills,
that granting pension to Joseph Ro.
meiser, and of public bills, that provid.
ing for the erection of government build.
ings al Dayton, Ohio, were the only ones
that succeeded in passing both Houses
over the Presidents veto. Several
Others obtained the requisite two. thirds
vote in the Senate only to fail in the
House. The death.roll Of this Congress
was also an extraordinary one, com.
prising the unprecedented number of
thirteen names in the House and Sen.
ate. Following is the list Of the more.
important House bills which have become
laws: The bill to forfeit the Atlantic
and Pacific Railroad land grant; to in.
crease the pensions of widows and de.
pendent relations from $6 to $l2 per
month; to abolish certain fees for official
services to American vessels, and to
amend the shipping laws lthe Dingley
shipping bill); to amend the Thurman
act; increase of the naval establish
ment; to pension Mexican War Veterans;
to prohibit the passage of local or special
laws in the Territories;' to create the
Judicial District of Southern California;
for the erection of public buildings at
Los Angeles, California; for the pur.
chase of site for several Federal build
ings at San Francisco, California. Forty
House joint resolutions became laws,
the principal ones being as follows: Di-
recting the Commissioner of Labor to
make an investigation as to convict la.
Dor; to authorize the President to
protect tnS American fishing and
trading vessels and the American
fsherieeSp Canadian waters; authoriz.
ing an Investigation of the books and
methods of the Pacific railroads. OF the
total number of bills whitb passed the
Senate, 800 became laws, including lis
of a public and 205 of strictly private
nature. "
y Following is list of the most .mport-
ant Senate bills placed on the s.Stute
books by the present Congress; Nhe
Presidential Succession bill. devolving
the heirship to the Presidency upon
members of the Cabinet in the event OF
the vacancy of office of the President
and Vice. President; the Cullom. Reagan
bill to regulate Interstate commences
for the retirement and recoinage OF the
trade dollar.